"It's been an incredible learning experience," she said. I'm working with equity actors. They know the world of theatre. I'm getting first hand accounts of what it's like to be a professional actor."

Guedry and other UH theater students also are working with a professional director who's also a writer, actor and UH alum. Robert Wuhl of Arli$$, Bull Durham and Batman fame came back to UH with his first play "Hit-Lit" to workshop before it goes to New York.

"Students have been great. I encourage their collaboration. They'll come up with ideas and we've incorporated quite a few of their ideas, and I like that because I feel that by doing that they're vested in the project," he said.

"Hit-Lit" follows ambitious young editor, Phoebe Saint-Anne, who is on the lookout for the next big book. After she thinks she witnesses a mob-style murder, she engages Julian, the "hit man" to pen his life story.

"We're taking two students up to New York for the Queens production to give them practical experience. That didn't happen when I was here. That's a really, really rare opportunity to have that. So that's really a treat," he said.

The school of theatre strives to bring the industry to students.

"I think it will give me a bit of a leg up. Because I have seen a process with the equity world and I don't think a lot of college students get that opportunity," said Guedry.

The School of Theatre and Dance is part of what's happening at the University of Houston.